Improvement in shot-polishing machines



2 Sheets-She e't 1.

Y R. PooLE. SHOT-POLISHING MACHINE.

Patented Sept.19,1876.

MEETERS. PMOTc-LITHOGRAFER, WASHINGTON. D C

2 Sheets-Sheet?. R. POLE.

SHOT-POLISHING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 19, 1876.

Attorney By als NZFETERS, PHGTG-UTMDG5APHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

. quantities.

-ivrrnn STATES PATENT* OFFIOn ROBERT POOLE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO POOLE 8a HUNT,

OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOT-POLISHING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 182,329, dated September 19, 1876; application tiled August 7, 1876. p

y tumbling-barrel until properly smoothed and coated with the polishing-mixture by rubbing contact, when the rotation of the barrel is stopped and its contents discharged. This t polishing substance usually consists of a powder, thetendency' of which is to pack and clog, thus rendering it difficult to feed thematerial to the tumbling-barrel in regulated The object of the first part of my invention is to obviate this difficulty, to which end my improvement consists in combining, with a hopper from which the powdered material is fed, a feeding screw or stirrer, and yielding raketeeth, between which the threads oi' the screw Work, whereby the material is continually stirred and prevented fromcloggin g, and

fed regularly to the tumbling-barrel.v

The object of the next part of my invention i is to mingle the shot thoroughly with the polishing material on their Way to the tumblingbarrel, which end I attain by feeding the polishing material into a duct or channel through Which the shot pass, and by the momentum ,of which they are thoroughly mixed and carried into the tumbling-barrel.

The object of the next part of my inventionis to render the operation of polishing unin- V terrupted, so that the shot may pass through the tumbling-barrel in a continuous stream, in centradistiuction to the common methods of iilling the tumblingbarrel, polishing the charge, and then stopping the mechanism to discharge it; to Which end my improvement consists in the hereinafter-described method of polishing shot, consisting in supplying ished by theI rotation of the barrel and contact with the polishing material.

The object of the next part of .my invention is to regulate the rapidity of thepassage of the shot through the tumbling-barrel which end I attainl by mounting the apparatus in an adjustable frame, so as to vary the inclination of the axis of rotation of the barrel.

The object ofthe next partof my invention is to permit of the free rotation and adjustment of` the tumbling-barrel `relatively to the feed-duct; to which end my improvement consists in combining the feed-spout and tumbling-barrel by means of a universal or swivel joint in the head of the barrel, through which joint the feed-tube passes.

The object of the next part of my invention is readily to change from one size of shot to another.; to Which end my improvement consists in providing at the discharge end ofthe barrel a series of slideyalves for the escape of the shot, all controlled by a common lever, so that the discharge-openings may all be simultaneously opened or closed.

My improvement further consists in certain novel constructions of parts of the apparatus, as hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings'show all my improvements as embodied in one machine, in the best Way now-known to me.. Obviously, however, some of these improvements may be used Without the others, and in machines differing in construction from theI one herein t shown. The details of construction of the apparatus may also be varied in certain Wellknown Ways, without departing from the spirit l of my invention.

Figure l represents au elevation of th feeding end of so much ofvmy improved apparatus as is necessary to illustrate the subject-matter herein claimed; Fig. 2,.a vertical longitudinal central section therethrough, on the line l l of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section through the tumbling-barrel, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a similar section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a view ofthe discharge end of the apparatus, partly in section, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

The mechanism is mounted upon a stout known way.

frame, A,of suitable construction. The polishi'ng material is contained i-n a hopper, B, provided with yielding comb or rake teeth b, between which a feed-screw, b', revolves, being driven by suitable well-known mechanism.

The spring-teeth, it will be seen, are moved at their lower ends, which engage with the screw-thread, toward the discharge end of the hopper by the revolution of the screw until they escape from the thread andl spring back, to be again moved forward. The teeth are thus constantly vibrating or moving to and fro, and are repeatedly given a-jerking or sud den quick movement, e'ectually preventing clogging of the material.

The powder escapes from a pipe, B', through the duct or channel C, through which the shot descends from any suitable receptacle, and, `owing to their momentum, become thoroughly mingled with the powder before vpassing into the tumbling-barrel. 'Ihe tube C terminates in `a universal or ballandsocket `joint, c, i-n one head of the tumbling-*barrel D, which mode of lconnection admits of the free rotation land adjustment of the barrel relatively to the fixed feed-tube.

The tumbling-barrel is provided with circular ways d, revolving on friction-rollers 'e e', turning in suitable bearings in a frame, E, pivoted at one endto'the main frame at a, and supported yat the other by `means of the adjusting-screw E. The barrel revolves on an axis normally horizontal; but 'by means of this screw `it can be raised or lowered at its vdischarging end. 4

As under my improved system the shot are vfed continuously through the tumbling-barrel without stopping themachine to change or discharge it, this adjustment enables me to regulate the rate'at which the shotflow through the barrel,and, consequently, `the time during which they are subjected to the 4polishing operation.

The barrel may be rotated at any suitable speed by usual wellknown mechanism. I prefer to use a large gear-wheel, F, about .the size of the barrel itself, and to drive it by a spurwheel, j', driven in any suitable Well- In this instance both the tumbling-barrel and the feed-screw are actuated from a common driving-shaft, G.

The tumbling-barrel is, by preference, provided with four internally-projecting flanges or ribs, h, inclined relatively to the axis, as shown in Fig. 2, to insure the vthorough mixing and stirring of the shot, and to facilitate their lateral movement through the barrel.

A door, H,'permits the inspection ofthe interior of lthe tumbling-barrel.

The polished shot normally escape through a discharge-tube, I, the mouth of which is concentric with the axis of rotation of the barrel, which vtube is provided with a slide or gate, z', which regulates the flow.

By connecting the discharge-tube with the barrel in Ithe line of its axis of rotation, it will be seen that a considerable amount of polishing material, and at all times corresponding body of shot, is retained in the barrel when in operation, thus aiding the work of polishing l by increasing friction, and insuring `uniform work, the freshly-admitted shot being prevented by the mass already undergoing oper ation from escaping tooquickly from the barrel, as they might were they discharged from its periphery.

To discharge the shot rapidly, when it is desired to change from one size to another, openings, in this instance, four in number, are provided in its periphery near the discharge end, normally closed by slides k connected by rocking levers k1 with a collar, k2, sliding freely endwise on the revolving portion of the discharge-tube 4I, `and connected by a'yoke, 7c3, with a hand-lever, K, by which means the attendant vis enabled rapidly and simultaneously to open and close all the discharge openings by means of a single lever. Guides Z conduct the shot escaping through these openings `to 'the trough L.

The operation of the apparatus will readily be understood from the foregoing description. The shot and polishing ma terial are thoroughly yintermingled before entering the barrel, and

the former are polished by its rotation, and` by their friction with each other, which polishing is facilitated by the inclined ribs h, which also tend to force the shot toward y'the discharge end of thetumbling-barrel, whence they dow through the discharge-pipe lin a continuous stream. y y

The advantages of this automatic, continuous, and simple method of manipulation will be obvious tothose skilled in the art without further enumeration.

I claim as of my own invention- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth,of the hopper whichcontains the polishing material,'the yielding'comb or rake teeth therein, and `the revolving feedscrew, whereby the packing of the polishing material is prevented and a'regulated feed secured.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the hopper for containling the polishing material, the comb or rake teeth therein, the yfeed-screw, the dischargepipe for the polishing material, the shot-duct, and the tumbling-barrel, whereby the Vpolishing material is 4fed in regulated quantities into the shot-duct, and thoroughly mingled with the shot before .entering 'the tumbling-barrel.

3. The hereinbefore-described improvement in the art of polishing shot, which consists'in feeding them continuously 4to lthe ytumblingbarrel at one end thereof', together with 'the polishing material, polishing-them by the unl interrupted rotation ofthe barrel, and the contact ofthe-polishin g material, and discharging themat the'end ofthe barrel opposite `to'that at which theyenteredina continuous stream,

substantially in the manner and by the means set forth.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the shot feedvtube, the tumbling-barrel, its discharge pipe, and the adjustable supporting frame, whereby the rate at which the shot How through the barrel may be regulated.

5. The combination, substantially as here` inbefore set forth, of the feed/tube, the tumbling-barrel, and a universal joint in the bead of thebarrel through which the tube passes, whereby the barrel may be freely rotated and adjusted relatively to the feed-tube.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the tumbling-barrel, a series of slides at its discharge end, and the lever by which said slides are simultaneously opened and closed, whereby the contents of the tumbling-barrel may readily be discharged when it is desired to vary the size of the shot to be polished.

7. The tnmblin g-barrel, constructed substantially as described, having a feed-tube and a discharge-tube, connected with its opposite ends, concentric With its axis ofrotation, and also provided with peripheral openings and adjustable slides near its discharge end, for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBERT POOLE.

Witnesses: WM. L. KLINEEELTER, CLARENCE T. HAMILTON. 

